MotoGP's long-awaited return to Brno in 2025, after a five-year absence, is being overshadowed by a legal storm rocking Autodrom Most and potentially rocking the entire Czech motorsport scene. A court ruling against Most, imposing draconian noise limits, raises fears of a dangerous precedent for the Brno circuit and beyond. Amidst the passion for engines and complaints from local residents, the battle is on.
MotoGP will make its big comeback at Brno in 2025 after five years of absence, with a contract signed for five seasonsThe event is scheduled for 18 to 20 July on the Masaryk circuit, recently renovated with new asphalt, 5,403 km long. But a shadow hangs over this revival: a court ruling targeting another Czech circuit threatens the entire motorsport industry in the country.
À Most, a city also known for hosting the World Championship of Superbike, the courts recently ruled against the Autodrom. The reason: noise pollution reported by local residents, particularly the Hulicka family. The regional court in Ústí nad Labem imposed a drastic noise limit: 55 decibels on weekdays, 50 on Sundays and public holidays. Even Tvrzova Street, even closer to the home in question, has a higher tolerance (68 dB), which makes the decision all the more incomprehensible.
Some major events like the Superbike (May 16-18), theIDM (June 20-22) and the European NASCAR (August 29-31) are currently exempt from these new restrictions. But for how much longer? The owner of Autodrom Most, Josef Zajicek, denounces the verdict as absurd: " The Autodrome has been validated with limits set at 60 decibels during normal operation and 70 during races. Never, in ten years, have we been penalized for exceeding the limits. This decision contradicts our permit and endangers our business. »
A worrying precedent for Brno and other circuits
Concern is palpable among those involved in motorcycle racing. Magistrate Petr Zach, legal representative of the Most circuit, warns: " This decision could set a precedent. If Most accepts these arbitrary limits, what is stopping the same thing from being imposed on Brno tomorrow? » Could the return of MotoGP be threatened in the long term?
Zajicek calls on the authorities to act: " The state boasts of supporting our events. But when we find ourselves alone in court despite a legal permit, this support becomes purely symbolic. Why do we continue to build houses near the circuits? Why are no buffer zones planned? "A legal mess that, according to him, risks scaring away investors and slowly killing motor sports in the Czech Republic.
If everything seems ready for a spectacular return of the MotoGP à BrnoThe Most case is a reminder that the danger can come from the legal system, even more than from mechanics. In the absence of clear regulation and adequate legal protection, the entire ecosystem of Czech motorcycle racing could be called into question.
